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Fats Domino

Fats Domino
Fats Domino 1977.jpg
Domino in concert in Germany in 1977
Background information
Birth name Antoine Domino Jr.
Also known as Fats, The Fat Man
Born (1928-02-26) February 26, 1928 (age 89)
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Genres Rock and roll, New Orleans rhythm and blues
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments Piano, vocals
Years active 1947–present
Labels Imperial, London, ABC, Mercury, Broadmoor, Reprise, Sonet, Warner Bros., Toot Toot

Antoine "Fats" Domino, Jr. (born February 26, 1928) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter of French Creole descent. Five of his records released before 1955 sold over a million copies and were certified as gold records, and he had 35 records in the U.S. Top 40. His musical style is based on traditional rhythm and blues, accompanied by saxophones, bass, piano, electric guitar, and drums.

Domino was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Domino family was of French Creole background. Louisiana Creole French was his first language. Antoine was born at home with the assistance of his grandmother, a midwife. His name was initially given as Anthony on his birth certificate but was later corrected. His family were new arrivals in the Lower Ninth Ward from Vacherie, Louisiana. His father was a well-known violinist.

Domino learned to play the piano from his brother-in-law, the jazz guitarist Harrison Verrett.

Even after his success, he continued to live in his old neighborhood. His large home was roomy enough for his 13 children, but he still preferred to sleep in a hammock outside.

In the summer of 1947, Billy Diamond, a New Orleans bandleader, accepted an invitation to hear the young pianist perform at a backyard barbecue. Domino played well enough that Diamond asked him to join his band, the Solid Senders, at the Hideaway Club, in New Orleans. Diamond nicknamed him "Fats", because Domino reminded him of the renowned pianists Fats Waller and Fats Pichon.

Domino attracted national attention with his first recording, "The Fat Man", made in late 1949 for Imperial Records, an early rock-and-roll record featuring a rolling piano and Domino vocalizing "wah-wah" over a strong backbeat. "The Fat Man" sold one million copies by 1953; it is widely considered the first rock-and-roll record to achieve this feat. Domino released a series of hit songs with the producer Dave Bartholomew (also the co-writer of many of the songs), the saxophonists Herbert Hardesty and Alvin "Red" Tyler, the bassist Frank Fields, and the drummers Earl Palmer and Smokey Johnson. Other notable and long-standing musicians in Domino's band were the saxophonists Reggie Houston, Lee Allen, and Fred Kemp, Domino's trusted bandleader. Domino crossed into the pop mainstream with "Ain't That a Shame" (1955), which reached the Top Ten. Pat Boone's milder cover version reached number 1, having received wider radio airplay in a racially segregated era. Domino eventually had 37 Top 40 singles.


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